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Compare Lesotho (2007) - Guinea (2004)

Compare Lesotho (2007) z Guinea (2004)

 Lesotho (2007)Guinea (2004)
 LesothoGuinea
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka 33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*; Beyla, Boffa, Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka, Faranah, Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia, Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma, Lola, Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri, Telimele, Tougue, Yomou
Age structure 0-14 years: 35.7% (male 382,308/female 377,303)


15-64 years: 59.3% (male 613,979/female 645,818)


65 years and over: 5% (male 42,621/female 63,233) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 44.4% (male 2,075,652; female 2,032,936)


15-64 years: 52.4% (male 2,417,440; female 2,428,085)


65 years and over: 3.2% (male 127,654; female 164,695) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber
Airports 28 (2007) 16 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
total: 5


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 25


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 21 (2007)
total: 11


1,524 to 2,437 m: 6


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Area total: 30,355 sq km


land: 30,355 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 245,857 sq km


land: 245,857 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly smaller than Oregon
Background Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled for the first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and reinstated in 1995. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 7 years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African and Botswanan military forces under the aegis of the Southern African Development Community. Constitutional reforms have since restored political stability; peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002. Guinea has had only two presidents since gaining its independence from France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to power in 1984, when the military seized the government after the death of the first president Sekou TOURE. Guinea did not hold democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. CONTE (head of the military government) was elected president of the civilian government. He was reelected in 1998 and again in 2003. Unrest in Sierra Leone and Liberia has spilled over into Guinea on several occasions over the past decade, threatening stability and creating humanitarian emergencies.
Birth rate 24.72 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 42.26 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $995.8 million


expenditures: $763.2 million (2006 est.)
revenues: $410.7 million


expenditures: $708.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA million (2003 est.)
Capital name: Maseru


geographic coordinates: 29 19 S, 27 29 E


time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Conakry
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 320 km
Constitution 2 April 1993 23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)
Country name conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho


conventional short form: Lesotho


local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho


local short form: Lesotho


former: Basutoland
conventional long form: Republic of Guinea


conventional short form: Guinea


local long form: Republique de Guinee


local short form: Guinee


former: French Guinea
Currency - Guinean franc (GNF)
Death rate 22.49 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 15.53 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $652 million (2006 est.) $3.25 billion (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador June Carter PERRY


embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)


mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho


telephone: [266] 22 312666


FAX: [266] 22 310116
chief of mission: Ambassador Barrie R. WALKLEY


embassy: Rue Ka 038, Conakry


mailing address: B. P. 603, Conakry


telephone: [224] 41 15 20, 41 15 21, 41 15 23


FAX: [224] 41 15 22
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Molelekeng E. RAPOLAKI


chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536


FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815
chief of mission: Ambassador Rafiou Alpha Oumar BARRY


chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 986-4300


FAX: [1] (202) 478-3010
Disputes - international none domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups in Guinea, domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have created insurgencies, street violence, looting, arms trafficking, ethnic conflicts skirmishes, deaths, and refugees in border areas; in 2003, Guinea and Sierra Leone established a boundary commission to resolve a dispute over the town of Yenga
Economic aid - recipient $68.82 million (2005) $359.2 million (1998)
Economy - overview Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government revenue. However, the government has recently strengthened its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to South Africa and also generates royalties for Lesotho. Lesotho produces about 90% of its own electrical power needs. As the number of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries, as well as a rapidly expanding apparel-assembly sector. The latter has grown significantly mainly due to Lesotho qualifying for the trade benefits contained in the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. The economy is still primarily based on subsistence agriculture, especially livestock, although drought has decreased agricultural activity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of income remains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF. Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country possesses over 30% of the world's bauxite reserves and is the second-largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted for about 75% of exports in 1999. Long-run improvements in government fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out of poverty. Fighting along the Sierra Leonean and Liberian borders, as well as refugee movements, have caused major economic disruptions, including a loss in investor confidence. Foreign mining companies have reduced expatriate staff, while panic buying has created food shortages and inflation in local markets. Guinea is not receiving multilateral aid. The IMF and World Bank cut off most assistance in 2003. Growth should strengthen in 2004, however, because of a slowly improving security situation and increased investor confidence.
Electricity - consumption 338.5 million kWh (2005) 735.2 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 13 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2005) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 350 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2005) 790.6 million kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m


highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m
Environment - current issues population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing, overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to environmental damage
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%
Exchange rates maloti per US dollar - 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.541 (2002) Guinean francs per US dollar - NA (2003), 1,975.84 (2002), 1,950.56 (2001), 1,746.87 (2000), 1,387.4 (1999)
Executive branch chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to February 1995 while his father was in exile


head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May 1998)


cabinet: Cabinet


elections: none - according to the constitution, the leader of the majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister; the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution, that came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to depose the monarch, determine who is next in the line of succession, or who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age
chief of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of military government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993)


head of government: Prime Minister Cellou Dalein DIALLO (since 9 December 2004)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected president; election last held 21 December 2003 (next to be held NA December 2008); the prime minister is appointed by the president


election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote - Lansana CONTE (PUP) 95.3%, Mamadou Boye BARRY (UPR) 4.6%
Exports NA bbl/day NA (2001)
Exports - commodities manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000) bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agricultural products
Exports - partners US 81.9%, Belgium 15%, Canada 1.9% (2006) South Korea 14.8%, Spain 10.7%, US 10.1%, France 9.2%, Russia 9%, Ireland 7.9%, Belgium 6.4%, Germany 5.6%, Ukraine 5.3% (2003)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
Flag description three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green in the proportions of 3:4:3; the colors represent rain, peace, and prosperity respectively; centered in the white stripe is a black Basotho hat representing the indigenous people; the flag was unfurled in October 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
GDP - purchasing power parity - $19.02 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 18.2%


industry: 40.8%


services: 41% (2006 est.)
agriculture: 24.9%


industry: 38.2%


services: 36.9% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 6.2% (2006 est.) 3% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 S, 28 30 E 11 00 N, 10 00 W
Geography - note landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources in the Guinean highlands
Highways - total: 30,500 km


paved: 5,033 km


unpaved: 25,467 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 0.9%


highest 10%: 43.4% (2002 est.)
lowest 10%: 2.6%


highest 10%: 32% (1994)
Imports NA bbl/day NA (2001)
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment, textiles, grain and other foodstuffs
Imports - partners Hong Kong 33.4%, China 31.2%, Germany 7.7%, India 7.3% (2006) France 16.8%, China 9.3%, Belgium 7.1%, Italy 6.6%, Netherlands 5.4%, UK 5.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.8%, US 4.5% (2003)
Independence 4 October 1966 (from UK) 2 October 1958 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate 15.5% (1999) 3.2% (1994)
Industries food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light manufacturing and agricultural processing industries
Infant mortality rate total: 79.85 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 84.4 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 75.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 91.82 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 97.3 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 86.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.1% (2006 est.) 14.8% (2003 est.)
International organization participation ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land 30 sq km (2003) 950 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch acting on the advice of the Prime Minister); Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts; customary or traditional court Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel
Labor force 838,000 (2000) 3 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa


industry and services: 14% (2002 est.)
agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries total: 909 km


border countries: South Africa 909 km
total: 3,399 km


border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km
Land use arable land: 10.87%


permanent crops: 0.13%


other: 89% (2005)
arable land: 3.63%


permanent crops: 2.58%


other: 93.79% (2001)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa French (official), each ethnic group has its own language
Legal system based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; legal codes currently being revised; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party) and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by popular vote and 40 by proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)


elections: last held 17 February 2007 (next to be held in 2012)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LCD 61, NIP 21, ABC 17, LWP 10, ACP 4, BNP 3, other 4
unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 30 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%, other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9
Life expectancy at birth total population: 39.97 years


male: 40.73 years


female: 39.18 years (2007 est.)
total population: 49.7 years


male: 48.45 years


female: 50.99 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 84.8%


male: 74.5%


female: 94.5% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 35.9%


male: 49.9%


female: 21.9% (1995 est.)
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine - total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,344 GRT/5,003 DWT


by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1


foreign-owned: Iraq 1 (2003 est.)
Military - note the Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the future structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening in political affairs -
Military branches Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army and Air Wing Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard, Presidential Guard, National Gendarmerie, General Directorate of National Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $58.5 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.6% (2006) 1.7% (2003)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 2,108,948 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 1,064,965 (2004 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 4 October (1966) Independence Day, 2 October (1958)
Nationality noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)


adjective: Basotho
noun: Guinean(s)


adjective: Guinean
Natural hazards periodic droughts hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season
Natural resources water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish
Net migration rate -0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -3.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population


note: as a result of conflict in neighboring countries, Guinea is host to approximately 150,000 Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees (2004 est.)
Political parties and leaders Alliance of Congress Parties or ACP; All Basotho Convention or ABC [Thomas THABANE]; Basotholand African Congress or BAC [Khauhelo RALITAPOLE]; Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Ntsukunyane MPHANYA]; Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justin Metsing LEKHANYA]; Kopanang Basotho Party or KPB [Pheelo MOSALA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD (the governing party) [Pakalitha MOSISILI]; Lesotho Education Party or LEP [Thabo PITSO]; Lesotho Workers Party or LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP [Vincent MALEBO]; National Independent Party or NIP [Anthony MANYELI]; New Lesotho Freedom Party or NLFP [Manapo MAJARA]; Popular Front for Democracy or PFD [Lekhetho RAKUOANE]; Sefate Democratic Union or SDU [Bofihla NKUEBE]; Social Democratic Party of SDP [Masitise SELESO] Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or PDG-RDA [El Hadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN]; National Union for Progress or UPN [Mamadou Bhoye BARRY]; Party for Unity and Progress or PUP [Lansana CONTE] - the governing party; People's Party of Guinea or PPG [Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha CONDE]; Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR [Siradiou DIALLO]; Union for Progress of Guinea or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE, secretary-general]; Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 2,125,262


note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.)
9,246,462 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 49% (1999) 40% (2003 est.)
Population growth rate 0.144% (2007 est.) 2.37% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors - Boke, Conakry, Kamsar
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 4 (one station is inactive), FM 1 (plus 7 repeaters), shortwave 3 (2001)
Railways - total: 837 km


standard gauge: 175 km 1.435-m gauge


narrow gauge: 662 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Religions Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.013 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.951 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.674 male(s)/female


total population: 0.956 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female


total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: rudimentary system consisting of a modest but growing number of landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a small radiotelephone communication system; mobile-cellular telephone system is expanding


domestic: privatized in 2001, Telecom Lesotho tasked with providing an additional 50,000 fixed-line connections within five years, a target not met; mobile-cellular service is expanding with a subscribership approaching 15 per 100 persons; rural services are scant


international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire lines, small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relay system


domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication


international: country code - 224; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 48,000 (2005) 26,200 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 249,800 (2005) 111,500 (2003)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 6 low-power stations (2001)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior
Total fertility rate 3.21 children born/woman (2007 est.) 5.87 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 45% (2002) NA (2002 est.)
Waterways - 1,295 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft) (2003)
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